Richard m



(No Model.)

R. M. BENT.

A DUPL'IGATE WHIsT APPARATUS; No. 571,185. Patented Nov. 10, 1896.

`\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\`. wwwmmmmmm UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD M. BENT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DUPLICATE-WHIST APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,185, dated November 10, 18.96.

l Application led May 9, 1896. Serial No. 590,803. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, RICHARD M. BENT,a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of NewYork, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Duplicate-lVhist Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for playing duplicate-whist, and has for its object to provide a neat and inexpensive tray wherein the cards may be firmly held at their edges in order to maintain the cards in proper position within the receptacles in the sides of the tray.

A further object of my invention is to provide the card-receptacles of the tray with holding devices which will permit of the cards being readily inserted or withdrawn from said receptacles without injuring or bruising the same.

These objects I am enabled to attain by means of my said invention, which consists in the novel details of construction and the combination, connection, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part `of this specification and wherein like letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure l is a -top or plan view of my improved apparatus,

the cover thereof being partly broken away to show the receptacles for the cards, one receptacle bein g empty and the other filled with cards, and showing the means for maintaining the same in position therein. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of'Fig. l, and.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the corner blocks.

In said drawings, A designates the tray or holder, comprising a base B, having secured thereon at each of its corners a block C, and a block C, secured thereon in the center.

D designates the cover, which may be se cured to the base B by screws a, as herein shown, or by gluing or in any other convenient manner.

By the herein shown and described arrangement of the blocks C C' between the base B and cover D four receptacles E for the cards F are formed-one receptacle at each side of the tray.

C which forms one side or wall of the recepv tacle is secured an elastic cushion G, of felt or other suitable material, which exten ds from Y the outer to the inner end of the receptacle. The corner block whose one side forms the opposite wall of the receptacle is kerfed lat its outer end, and into said kerf is secured the bent-over end of a bow-spring II, while its other end, which is free, extends rearwardly into the receptacle, the inner ends of these last-mentioned corner blocks being slightly rounded to accommodate the free ends of the springs I'I. A

Upon the upper surfaces of the base B within each 'of the receptacles E are secured two strips of cardboard or'other suitable material, which extend from the outer to the inner end of the receptacle and serve to reinforce the base at each receptacle, and at the same time maintain the lowermost card within the receptacle above the lower edge of the spring, thus preventing the lowermost card or cards from slipping beneath the same.

At the edge of the base B, at the center of each receptacle E, is a thumb-indentation J, and at the edges of the cover D, directly above each of said receptacles E, is a semicircular recess K, which is made as wide as the mouth of the receptacle, so as to facilitate the insertion and-removal of the cards.

It will be observed that the receptacles for the cards are provid ed with enlarged mouths,

.which serve to guide the cards into position;

that when the cards are once in position within the tray the edges thereof, whereby they are held in place, do not come in contactv with the sides or walls of the receptacles proper, owing to the interposition of the springs and elastic cushions, thus providing a receptacle wherein the cards may be readily inserted, held firmly in position therein, and again easily removed any number of times .without the slightest injury thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. An apparatus for the purposes described ICO comprising a tray having receptacles in the sides thereof adapted to receive cards, a spring arranged upon one side of each receptacle, and an elastic cushion arranged upon the oppositeA side thereof, both adapted for contact with the edges of the cards to hold the cards in position within the receptacle, substantially as specified.

2. An apparatus for the purposes described comprising a tray having receptacles in the sides thereof adapted to receive cards, a spring having one end secured to one side or wall of each receptacle near the outer edge thereof, and its other end free and extending rearwardly into the receptacle, and an elastic cushion secured to the opposite side or wall of the receptacle7 said spring and elastic cushion being adapted for contact with the opposite edges of the cards within the receptacle to hold the same in position therein, substantially as specified.

3. An apparatus for the purposes described comprising a tray having receptacles in the sides thereof adapted to receive cards, a thumb indentation in the base of said tray at the center of each receptacle, and a larger semicircular recess in the cover at each receptacle, a bow-spring having the outer end bent at an angle to the remainder thereof, and said bent-over end secured to one of the sides or walls of the receptacle near the outer edge thereof and its other end free and eX- tending rearwardly into the receptacle, and a strip of felt secured to the opposite side or Wall of the receptacle, said spring and strip of felt being adapted for contact with the edges of the cards within the receptacle to hold the cards in position therein, substantially as speciiied.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, this 8th day of May, 1896.

RICHARD M. BENT.

Witnesses GUsTAvE DIETERICH, JOHN KEHLENBECK. 

